200TH BLOG NEWS AND VINTAGE PHOTOS

Soon to depart for pastures new, well Colchester anyway is 65670 SN51 UYC on the 61 to Greenwich.

Welcome to the 200th Blog Ladies and Gentleman, with special pictures coming up later on in the blog, it's taking me 2 years and 3 months to get this far and we haven't finished yet. News this week again concentrates on First Ipswich with a further two refurbishments coming back again this week in B7RLE 69422 and B7TL 32493, worth noting that although the B7RLE'S have been repainted in the last year they are also receiving the new livery, going out this week this is subject to change will be 65673 SN51 UYG and 65675 SN51 UYJ which should be heading back to Colchester where they where allocated in 2010, definitely already left are coaches 23312/14 which are now back off to Cornwall.

 Now time to pick some of my favourites gathered from Flickr or from my own collection, this pictures illustrates the early days of deregulation with VR 258 RAH 258W and Leyland National LN 585 TVF 620R both are on Sunday duties taken over from Ipswich Buses on the 4/6.

Illustrating the early days of the NBC is Dual Purpose Bristol RLE 875 YAH 875J in the gorgeous cream and maroon of the Tillings Eastern Counties.

Final Eastern Counties pick is ex Ipswich allocation Bristol FLF 471 KNG 471D in the early eighties in Norwich.

Technically a Eastern Counties bus but seen here in Great Yarmouth livery is Bristol VR CVF 29T that a certain Chris Speed will enjoy.

69010 AND 69425 PICTURE EXCLUSIVE

Picture exclusive tonight with both 69010 AU05 DMY and 69425 AU58 FMM many thanks to on the ball James Long and the depot staff for allowing him to photograph them.

66985 PHOTO AT LAST AND FURTHER FIRST IPSWICH NEWS

Pictured above is a shot of First Ipswich 66985 KX05 MHO resplendent in the new livery and fully refurbished as can be seen it has had branding applied on both sides as well as the free WI FI branding, sister 66986 went out shortly before on the 65 but had no branding. Further news on the exchange of the remaining Scanias has reached me once again a big thank you to Chris Speed, the first vehicles will be swapped from mid week with Colchester also gaining Volvo B7RLE'S from Hadleigh who are putting 10 Wright Streetlites into service allowing Ipswich further B7RLES from the 669--batch from Colchester. A further positive news for First Ipswich is a piece on the Star website today about driver Justin Pearson who is the first double amputee bus driver in the country, he has also recently been promoted to relief duty controller, proving that disability in any form is no barrier to being successful. Link to story http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/kesgrave_ipswich_justin_pearson_is_first_ever_double_amputee_bus_driver_in_country_1_3801693

66986 KX05 MHU with a small First logo on the front shows the contrast in branding.

IPSWICH BUSES ROUTE 5 AND 11 TO GO AROUND BROKE HALL EVENINGS AND SUNDAY AND FUTURE OF THE 4

Seen Here earlier in the Summer is East Lancs Dart 86 PJ53 OLG

 Ipswich Buses has announced that they are to extend routes 5 and 11 in the Evenings and on Sundays from Ipswich Hospital to Broke Hall Estate, this is as MD Malcolm Robson has described as a slack period for the 5/11, buses will operate as follows service 5 in Via Foxhall Road, Bixley Road, Penshurst Road and out via Arundel Way and Foxhall Road to the Hospital, service 11 from Hospital via Foxhall Rd, Arundel Way and out via Penshurst Road and Bixley Road to Foxhall Road, this brings back an proper evening service to Broke Hall. Service 4 from Martlesham to Ipswich Railway Station is also being examined this week in regards to the section between Tower Ramparts and the Railway Station to see whether there is sufficient demand to keep that section of the route, there is also frequent timing issues that i am aware of as the buses run late at peak hours.

Above is one of the 5 Scania/Wright Solars soon to depart from Ipswich is 65674 SN51 UYH, which no one will miss!

Buses in from Refurb this week will be 69010 and 69425, the first of the ex Park and Ride B7RLES to be completed while departing this week has been 69423/24.

32492 ENTERS SERVICE

Just before i impart the latest news, just would like to add that many of you follow me on twitter and have heard me speak up for myself on a battle with another blogger, suffice to say that i will continue with the blog, i have a lot of personal problems at the moment but will continue to bring to you all the latest information for the Ipswich and Suffolk area, wherever possible i try to authenticate what i hear before putting it on a blog so please be assured about that.

Above pictured on a very wet Monday morning is 32492 AU53 HKK arriving in Ipswich, very late as it happened, not the best of images! as after that it disappeared out of service presumably working dead back to Martlesham, however it wasn't the day to see the other refurb 66985 as it wasn't around.

Seen here after arriving back from Felixstowe is another rear advertisement this time for hit the Beach in Felixstowe, though with the weather and the time of year is probably a little late for this year

Yet another Volvo B7RLE 69008 AU05 DME appeared on the 66 today, although a 66 Decker in 32490 was on the 65.

EASTERN COUNTIES PHOTO RECALL THE EARLY FIRST YEARS

Seen here in around 2002 is one of my favorites not! poor old Counties got suckered with these while in South Yorkshire they got shot of them after 10 yrs seen here on my route the 4 to Bixley Farm is 401 M584 ANG.

The end is nigh here by 2000 there was very few Bristol VR's left in Ipswich, i have very happy memories of VR 287 VEX 287X as it was the last ever VR that i rode in in Ipswich when it used to appear quite regularly on the 4 when they took over the route from IB.

In the main these were allocated to Norwich for most of their lives but here is JD7 laterly 507 G707 JAH a Dennis Javelin with Duple body whilst on loan to Ipswich on the 83.

Bought in at the tail end of the 90's were these all Leyland Olympians from Thamesway H101-04 HVX seen here a little later on 2004 with it's Sema Voyager number 34901.

Seen here when comparatively new is National Greenway LG 784 UFX 854S working a private hire.

Just before the end of the nineties Eastern Counties snapped up the vast majority of these Volvo B10Ms with Plaxton Premiere bodies from First Essex seen here in 2004 is 20106 N606 APU.

Also coming in around 1999/2000 were the affectionately known puddle jumpers not Wright's best ever looking body however the finished off a lot of Eastern Counties native mini buses seen here is 45337 JDZ 2337, followed by a type now come increasingly rarer within First Group is the Scania L113 with Wright Ultralow bodies is 65549 P549 RNG straying from it's intended 88 route, on the 75 to Felixstowe.

This blog should of gone out earlier in the week but some how went into the unpublished zone so here it is  better late then never.

FIRST IPSWICH NEWS UPDATE

Seen here in Felixstowe yesterday is Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912 BOU heading back into Ipswich on a 76.

Well it's been a few days now since the last blog, due to sickness and so on, first of all we have two arrivals back the above pictured 66985 KX05 MHO after it's arrival thanks once again to James Long and the depot staff for the picture and Volvo B7TL 32492 departures this week were Volvo B7RLE 69427 and Volvo B7TL 32655. From next week onwards the remaining Scanias should be gradually be swapped with First Essex Colchester depot with more of their 05 Plate Volvo B7RLES, the remaining Scanias are Wright Axcess Ultra Low's 65579,65588/89 and Wrightbus Solars 65670/72-75.

 Now i'm just showing off my new cameras abilities  here with a another shot of 32490 reversing out of the 66 bay just a shame it was about to rain at the time.

WI FI branding seen on the side of one of First Ipswich's Enviro 200'S 44516 YX09 ACV with Enjoy the Chilled Air one of a series of adverts with Enjoy the Beach another one used on Felixstowe services